Chief cricket writer for The Age

When Australia and New Zealand played the first ever Twenty20 international in 2005, players wore body-hugging kits and terry-towelling hats in keeping with a retro theme that captured the novelty of it all.

Nine years on, there is a distinct retro flavour about Australia's squad for next month's World Twenty20 in Bangladesh, but nothing gimmicky about the inclusion of the three Brads - Hogg, Hodge and Haddin. At the grand old ages of 43, 39 and 36, their inclusion dispels the notion that Twenty20 is a young man's game.

Hogg could become the oldest man to play a Twenty20 international in Bangladesh and although he has the boundless energy of a younger man, he is ancient compared with the other specialist spinner, 20-year-old Victorian leggie James Muirhead.

James Muirhead has leapt from obscurity to feature as a limited overs bowler for Australia. Photo: Getty Images

Kenya's Steve Tikolo, who was 42 when he played against Canada in November, is the oldest player in a Twenty20 international. ''It was good to see there will be someone older than me in the side so I won't be referred to as grandpa,'' said Hodge as his selection in the pivotal finishing role was confirmed.

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Hodge's recall has made him wonder how much cricket he might have played for Australia if Darren Lehmann and John Inverarity had been picking the teams during his lost years.

''Everyone thinks that [it's a game for young players], but the brain takes over. It's a special and important tool in T20 cricket,'' said Hodge, who has played 222 Twenty20 games for a multitude of teams in India, England, Australia, New Zealand and Bangladesh and is the format's highest run-scorer.

''It's a staggering amount, if I haven't learnt something in that period of time there's something wrong. Youngsters have to work it out. You ride on your skill and then all of a sudden a few demons enter your head, you've got to work it out.''

Hodge felt ''like a 20-year-old'' when he broke a six-year international drought at the MCG a fortnight ago. ''When you look back, it hurts a little bit. You think, how can one regime look at it one way and another in a different manner? Runs are runs, performances are performances. But that was the path that was presented. You can't wind back the clock.''

Hogg was Australia's oldest player when it was blasted out of the World Twenty20 by Chris Gayle in the 2012 semi-final, and few thought he would be back. But as he turned in a virtuoso performance for Perth Scorchers with 2-17 in the BBL final, Mark Waugh declared he was still the best spinner in Australia.

Nor has the excitable spinner lost any of his cheek.

When Inverarity called, Hogg couldn't help but tease about a Test comeback. ''I must admit I was a little bit cheeky with it,'' Hogg said. ''Shaun's [Shaun Marsh] obviously gone over there [to South Africa] with Watto [Shane Watson] injured, and I said: 'So John, has [Nathan] Lyon gone down? You need another spinner for the Test team do you?'

''He said: 'Don't get too far ahead of yourself, settle down mate.'''

The selectors completed a hat-trick of golden oldies by picking Brad Haddin ahead of Matthew Wade. There was no room for finger-spinner Xavier Doherty, or for batsmen Chris Lynn, who performed well against England. All-rounder James Faulkner, out of the Test tour of South Africa because of knee surgery, is expected to be fit for the tournament.

33 comments

Can anyone explain the obession with Maxwell and how he keeps getting pickedInternational T20s played 15 games average 15.33, not much better in all Twenty20s

There seemed to be plenty of young guys ripping it up in the big bash , where are they, surely a couple could have got in this squad.

Commenter

gears for captain

Date and time

February 11, 2014, 2:46PM

He is in for his bowling as well T20 by sheer nature of the game will always see batsmen looking world beaters one minute, useless the next. Questions you need to ask when players enter the game to bat is. How many wickets down, how many overs left. Has the scoreline given the batsmen time to settle. Every batsmen in this team has had times of low scores just as they they have purple patches of good scores

Commenter

T20

Date and time

February 11, 2014, 3:42PM

Completely agree. Maxwell needs to make up his mind whether he is a left hand or right hand batsmen. You can't play every shot as a reverse shot.

Commenter

Chuck

Date and time

February 11, 2014, 5:02PM

Classic case of his reputation being far better than his actual performances. If he wasn't such a good fielder and useful bowler, I'd have him out of the team.Someone needs to get into his ear and tell him to stop trying to invent shots every second ball - look at the way Bailey and Faulkner compile their innings, they aren't moving all over the crease and trying to play ridiculous swats and tennis serves etc.May be a slow learner like Watson.Should bat about 7.

Commenter

Wal

Date and time

February 11, 2014, 5:33PM

The differnece between his runs per over with the bat and with the ball is about plus 1. The true sign of a 20/20 allrounder.

Commenter

trigga

Date and time

February 11, 2014, 8:40PM

Maxwell has had no good times. Only bad. He has batted at 3 and thrown his innings away with ridiculous shots time and again.

Commenter

Tim

Date and time

February 11, 2014, 9:31PM

Maxwell is playing for the same reason he has a Baggy Green.

Some stupid IPL owner paid $3 over 3 years for his services and CA got all excited about this guy and the rest is history.

And I know my statement is totally correct coz Maxwell was actually playing in his test match when he got the call after day 2/3 that he had just become a millionaire and ever since then he has been as useless as tits on a bull.

Commenter

MattyHoofaT

Location

Perth

Date and time

February 12, 2014, 11:24AM

Rats. I didn't get picked again. At 63 and tearing it up in Ulladulla C grade, I thought I was a chance.